Man charged with multiple felonies in high-speed, drunken rollover

HALFMOON -- New York State Police say the driver of a car that rolled over on the Northway in November, injuring three passengers, was drunk and driving more than 130 mph at the time of the crash.

Anton K. Hawkins, 25, of Schenectady faces multiple felonies for the Nov. 24 crash in Halfmoon, which occurred in the southbound lanes of the Northway, just north of the Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge. Hawkins and three passengers were headed from Saratoga Springs to Schenectady just after 5 a.m. that Saturday when the crash occurred, Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III said.

Murphy said Hawkins was driving his Toyota Camry at nearly 140 mph just before the crash.

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A reconstruction of the accident is ongoing, but reconstruction of the Dec. 1 crash that killed two Shenendehowa High School students will take precedence.

A woman who had been sitting in the car's backseat was ejected from the car and suffered serious injuries, including multiple broken bones. Two other passengers also were injured. The driver suffered minor injuries, Murphy said.

All three passengers were treated at Albany Medical Center and have since been released.

State police issued Hawkins a ticket to appear in court for a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge immediately after the crash, but he failed to appear for his court date.

Schenectady police arrested Hawkins Thursday night after he was found driving without a license. He initially gave Schenectady police a fake name, so he now faces two misdemeanor charges in Schenectady County as well.

Hawkins was charged Thursday with first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree vehicular assault and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, felonies, in connection with the Nov. 24 crash. He also was charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and several vehicle and traffic violations.

He was arraigned in Halfmoon Town Court and his bail was set at $20,000 cash or $40,000 bond. Hawkins remained in custody at Saratoga County Jail Friday evening. He is due to reappear in court Dec. 12.